Food Addiction

1 Corinthians 10:13- No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

This is a hard post to write, but here we go.

So I started my weight loss journey last May, but I really started my life transformation in January. I thought I was doing so well. My scale broke, but I kept on going and decided it was a sign to stop weighing myself. I lost 6 pounds in January. WOOHOO! But then it stopped. I bought a scale. What the heck? I was eating salads like crazy, chicken every way possible, counting calories, taking supplements. I was under 1200 calories. Usually more like 800-1000 calories a day. Nothing was working. I started feeling defeated. I was obsessed with the scale.

I spoke with the person that was helping me at the time. She told me I needed to eat more. I wasn’t eating enough. That not eating enough was keeping me from losing weight. She was right! But you know what that sounded like to me? “This isn’t working. Go back to eating whatever you want.” Food had become the enemy. In my head, to lose weight I can’t eat. Food = being fat and losing control. But we need food to survive. It is a horrible cycle.

I realized I had a food addiction. You see, when you are addicted to food it doesn’t matter if you are binge eating or starving yourself. It is the obsession with food! Good or bad! It takes over. I have a food addiction.

Think about it. When someone is addicted to a drug, they can’t just have a little. They have to stop! In my head, I have to avoid the food in order to overcome. How can you tell an addict that they need more? It doesn’t make sense?

As an added bonus, my hormones are screwed up since I went into surgical menopause. We have to build them back up slowly. Slowly, when you feel like this —is forever! Like a 5 year old waiting for Christmas. Do you know how much your hormones control you? The control a lot. It sent my thyroid levels into a tailwind so we had to change up my doses. That means no weight loss.

I started to over eat and began to fall.

I felt like I was failing at everything.

I started eating and sleeping all the time.

The migraines came back.

Energy disappeared.

I kept falling.

Then I crashed!

I realized my food addiction was out of control. My depression was closely related to my diet and lifestyle. The worse I felt, the more I needed to be filled! Food! Sleep! Work. Medication. Food! Repeat! More! More!

I reached one of my deepest depressions ever! I needed a change. FAST!

I started searching online for answers. I researched hypothyroid and weight loss, hormones and weight loss, calories needed for weight loss. It is all so overwhelming. I knew I could not be alone. I also knew I needed help!

I stumbled upon some information about Shakeology and BeachBody. Through a fabulous chain of events I discovered Sarah. She is a Beachbody coach and fellow blogger. She blogs over at Creating a Better Tomorrow. As soon as we connected I felt hopeful again!

I started a program called the 21 Day Fix to help me with my portion control.

So what is food addiction?

It is the inability to distinguish between hunger and the false starving impulse of physical craving, confusion between sane thinking and the false rationalizations associated with compulsions regarding eating, and distortion of will and sense of self in relationship to food and life as a whole.

Are eating disorders real? They SURE are!

Eating disorders are real, treatable medical illnesses. They frequently coexist with other illnesses such as depression, substance abuse, or anxiety disorders. Other symptoms can become life-threatening if a person does not receive treatment, which is reflected by anorexia being associated with the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. -NIMH

I am excited to share how the 21 Day Fix works for me and what I learn about myself and overcoming this food addiction. Visit my friend and coach’s blog for lots of ways to help you get back on track. Read her beautiful testimony here. Mandisa, the christian singer, shared her story to overcome food addiction. This song is my inspiration and FAVORITE workout song!!

Before you leave, here are some resources I have found in my research:

Are you dealing with this food addiction? Do you have an eating disorder? How do you handle it? As always, I will try to be as open and honest on this journey as I can. Follow me on Twitter or Instagram for daily updates. Let’s help each other!

Food Addiction was last modified: April 30th, 2015 by Heather Brummett

I am Heather Brummett . I'm just a real mom, sharing my real life experiences with the world. Thank you for being a part of my world. Here you will find recipes, crafts, fun ideas for the kids, how to work at home, encouragement, inspiration, and the latest news in and around Houston. To be featured or for information on freelance work contact me at inspiringmommablog@gmail.com.

About Us

I am Heather Brummett. I'm a just a real mom, sharing my real life experiences with the world. My husband, Joel, also shares on this blog. Thank you for being a part of our world. Here you will find recipes, crafts, fun ideas for the kids, how to work at home, encouragement, inspiration, and the latest news in and around Houston. To be featured or for information on freelance work contact us at inspiringmommablog@gmail.com. Now grab a cup of coffee and make yourself at home! Welcome to our world!